The Silence of Disappearing
by sunflower14
Summary: It starts out as an innocent, bright sunny day. Quickly it turns into a nightmare full of dark shadows and murky thoughts. A child's disappearance, a secret kept hidden, the despair of a parent...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC!

Chapter One: Nightmares take Over

The sun shone brightly in the early hours illuminating the two occupants in the airy kitchen. The sound of sizzling echoed throughout the house while coffee wafted through every corner. A paper rustled and a giggle heard. Ryan Atwood turned around at the sound of his four year old daughter's giggle forgetting about the Mickey Mouse pancakes he had been making.

"What's so funny Gemma?" He smiled as she looked up at him beaming.

"Nothing Daddy. I was looking at the funnies. See? Isn't that a funny face?" She wrinkled up her nose and looked back at her dad. "Daddy, what's that smell?"

"What, oh damn…" he looked back at his daughter that had a look on her face reminiscent of her mother.

"Daddy that is a bad word. What would Mommy say?" She frowned at him while mocking a pointed finger in his direction.

Ryan watched as she tried to keep her serious face on put watched as she broke out in a huge smile and laughed loudly. "Oh, but Daddy I won't tell Mommy! Cross my heart and hope to die."

"Won't tell me what?" Teased Marissa as she rushed into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Nothing!" shrieked Gemma while looking at her Daddy wildly. "Nothing Mommy…you…you look very pretty today!"

Marissa cocked an eyebrow in her direction not believing a word and walked over to Gemma and bent down eye level with her. "I think you should tell me Gemma or I'll…" Marissa looked around the room before coming back to rest on her daughter's blue eyes. "I'll tickle you!"

Gemma's eyes went wide and looked at her Daddy for help. "But Mommy, I can't…" she broke out in crazy giggles as her Mommy tickled her round little stomach. "Mommy, Mommy stop!" Gemma shrieked laughing and trying to get off the stool. "Okay, okay Mommy I tell you!" Gemma gasped in air as her Mommy looked down at her with a smile. Sneaking a glance in her Dad's direction, she motioned for Marissa to come closer. Whispering into her Mom's ear, Gemma hissed, "Daddy said a bad word and …"

"Gemma!" Ryan protested laughing as he flipped the last pancake.

"Sorry Daddy, but Mommy was tickling me. Anyway, we girls have to stick together, sorry Daddy!" She beamed toothily at him and finished her pancake with a loud gulp. Turning to Marissa she pleaded, "Mommy, don't punish Daddy too bad. Maybe just a little bit of soap because I got soap yesterday for saying…"

"Gemma," interrupted Marissa trying hard not to smile, "how about you go brush your teeth, okay?"

"Okay Mommy, but please don't be too hard on Daddy." Reaching up to give her Mom a kiss, she hoped off the stole and skipped upstairs.

"So," Ryan smiled in Marissa's direction walking over to her at the counter "what is my punishment because I've been a really bad boy." He pouted and watched as her eyes narrowed.

"You have been a very bad boy," she sank into his open arms freely and looped her arms around his neck. "I'll have to punish you by…" she placed a chastise kiss on his cheek and bestowed the honor on the other. Moving down to neck, she placed a kiss on his Adam's apple and smiled against his skin at his gulp. Placing a soft kiss behind his ear, "Do you think you have learned your lesson?"

Ryan pulled her tighter against him and tipped her chin up. "Oh yes madam, I think I have learned really well." Tucking a piece of hair escaping from her bun, he brushed his lips against hers and was rewarded with a sigh. Pinning her against the counter, he crashed his lips against hers when a loud and…

"Daddy! Mommy! I'm ready to go!" Gemma came bounding down the stairs and regarded her parents suspiciously as they scrabbled apart and Marissa picked up her coffee with a trembling hand. "What were you guys doing?"

Ryan exchanged a quick look with Marissa and turned to his daughter that stood with her hands on her hips. "Nothing, Gem, ready to go?"

"Yes, I'm so excited Daddy, " she shrieked and rambled out to the SUV talking about preschool and Mrs. Brown and…

"So, I guess I'll see you later?" Ryan asked as Marissa picked up her stack of papers and grabbed an apple.

"Please try to be home for dinner on time," she mocked glared at him. "Anyway, I have something to tell you."

"A surprise, will I like it?"

"I hope so," her eyes looked up at him with a soft glow and Marissa leaned in for a gentle kiss. Pulling away breathlessly, "I'll see you later."

"Bye," Ryan waved as she walked out the door and buckled Gemma into her seat before walking over to the front seat. She waved back and blew him a kiss and Gemma yelled out the window,

"Bye Daddy, see you later!"

Ryan watched his two girls until they were out of sight and went to go get ready.

"Mommy why is the sky blue? Mommy why do birds fly but not dogs? Mommy why does…"

"Gemma," laughed Marissa exasperated, "Do we really need all these questions?"

"But Mommy, this is how my brain grows!" Gemma through her hands up for emphasis and knocked it against the window.

"Careful Gemma," warned Marissa glancing back at her daughter relieved as she sat there playing with her sneaker. Pulling into the parking lot, she spotted a familiar blue car.

"Hey look, Aunt Summer and Dylan are here already."

"I know that is because you were taking a long time punishing Daddy," Gemma threw her Mom a smile and unclipped herself out of the booster seat scrambling out the door. "Dylan! Guess what?"

Marissa winced slightly at her daughter's loud shriek and rested her head on the steering wheel for a minute. A voice brought her out of her slump.

"Already a long day, Coop?" Summer laughed at her best friend's bygone face.

"Hello to you to Summer. Please tell me that is not Gemma pulling that little girl's hair… Marissa watched as Dylan pulled Gemma away from the girl and raced her to the sandbox. "She is so full of energy; I don't know what to do with her sometimes!" Marissa glanced at Summer as she stifled a laugh. "Go ahead and laugh because your son is not crazy, will drink milk, and play nice with other kids."

"Coop," Summer laughed, "Gemma is just one of a kind. Dylan is just more like Seth…which I'm sure is a good thing." She frowned at the thought as the bell rang.

The two kids ran over to their mothers' arms. "Have a great day Dylan," Summer ruffled his curly hair and smiled at her five year old son.

Marissa laughed as Gemma threw her arms around her and gave her a big bear hug. "Be good today kiddo, love you."

Gemma placed a quick buzz on her Mom's cheek and ran to catch up with Dylan, "Love you forever more Mommy!" With a last wave and a blown kiss, the two tiny creatures disappeared into the school halls backpacks securely fashioned.

"So, do you want to do lunch?" Summer asked as she walked over to her car."

"Yeah, lunch sounds good. I have to finish a couple of articles, but should be able to get off."

"Okay, sounds good."

Marissa waved as Summer pulled out of the parking lot, and she followed turning left toward the newspaper office. Majoring in journalism had been a surprise, but she loved her job and the flexible hours it allowed her to be with Gemma after school. Ryan after much decision decided to join the Newport Group working for Kristen. Usually he was home for dinner, but sometimes the hours were long. Pulling into the parking spot, Marissa grabbed her stack of papers and hurried inside. She was running just a little late, but since having Gemma it became a well known fact that Marissa Atwood was always a little late.

"No, no Ernie. I don't need that picture. I need the one…wait a second somebody just walked in. I'll call you back." Marissa placed the phone back on the desk and looked over at her boss, Nora Wylie. "Hey Nora, what's going on?" Nora rarely came into her office just to chat, and Marissa inwardly groaned at the thought of another article layout to do tonight.

"Your little girl, Gemma, she goes to Harbor Elementary School right?" Nora looked at Marissa steadily without blinking.

"Yes, she does. She attends the accelerated preschool program there. Why, do you need to know something about the school? I'm sure Mrs. Peabody wouldn't mind…"

"No," interrupted Nora looking concerned. "Marissa you know how we get the police blotter, and it is checked fairly regularly for various stories?" She watched as Marissa's face paled considerably and eyes started to blink frantically.

Marissa felt her heart thump painfully and a million thoughts flew across her mind_. Did something happen at the school…Gemma…Ryan…_?" Nora what is going on?" Demanded Marissa as she managed to get words out only slightly choking.

"We received news that at about an hour ago that two masked individual stormed the school and took a class under siege. That is all that I know…"Nora watched as Marissa pushed her chair back from the desk almost falling over and grabbed her purse. "I'm so sorry that I don't know anything else but…" she never got to finish because Marissa was out the door and running toward her car.

Almost colliding with a little convertible as she whipped the car on to the road, Marissa yanked out her cell phone and barely managed to dial Ryan's work. _Come on, come on please pick up, oh my gosh please pick up…please _

"Hello, you have reached Jane, Ryan's secretary, how may I help you?"

"Jane, it's Marissa. I need Ryan now!"

Stunned by the almost hysterical sound in Ryan's wife's voice, Jane went and interrupted the meeting without a thought. "Mr. Atwood, Marissa is on the phone. I think something is wrong.

Ryan stood up quickly and took the phone. "Hey beautiful, what is wrong?" He heard heavy breathing on the other side and a slightly whimper. Scared Ryan demanded, "Marissa, what is going on?"

"Ryan," Marissa mumbled while flying past a silver car going way too slow, "Something happened at the school. We got a news blot saying that two masked individuals…and Gemma in the school…don't know what is going on…"

Ryan could barely manage to make out his wife's words, but did know that she was falling apart and something could be wrong with Gemma.

"Marissa, take a breath," he heard her take a shallow gasp and prayed that she wouldn't hyperventilate while driving. "I'll meet you at the school." He started to say something else, but was surprised that she had already hung up. Grabbing his coat, he rushed out the door to his car. _What on earth is going on? _

Coming up to the school, Marissa slowing brought to car to a halt and stared in numbness at the scene. The once innocent place had been tainted. The playground still had swings that moved in the breeze and a bright sunny school bus sat in the back. However, ugly yellow tape had been wrapped around the school much like a Christmas present. Police officers swarmed the building while red and blue lights created a kaleidoscope of color. She felt numb. Something was breaking. She had this horrible feeling that only a mother could have. Her little girl was inside there somewhere and…Marissa yanked the door open and scrambled out running over to an officer. Teachers were leading students out of the doors holding hands. Little girls' hairs were messy and dirty. A little boy had a scrape on his knee and all were crying. Marissa watched as relieved parents grabbed their children in desperate hugs and little arms grabbed back just as hard. Marissa scanned the children looking for the slightly reddish light brown hair that was her daughter. Not seeing her, she pushed herself through the crowd to get a closer look.

"Marissa!" yelled a voice, and Marissa felt her best friend crash into her. "Do you know what is going on…I don't know…and Dylan…nobody is saying anything…" Summer rambled looking up at her closest friend fighting tears.

"I don't know Sum," Marissa whispered still glued to the school. Suddenly she spotted a head of curly dark hair and grabbed Summer's arm. "Look Sum, there is Dylan!"

Summer have a half sob and pushed herself through the crowd yelling at anybody who got in her way and pulled her little boy into her arms falling to the ground. Marissa watched as Seth came running out of no where falling to the ground with the two in a crushing hug. Marissa turned back to the school hoping to see her baby because Gemma and Dylan were in the same class. However, no little girl came down the steps with two braids. Marissa kept imagining that she saw a speck of red and knew her little girl wouldn't be crying. She would be scared, but desperate to prove that she was brave. Her lower lip would be trembling, but her chin stuck out. Marissa kept imagining that she saw Gemma that she was surprised to realize that children had stopped coming from the school. Looking around, she was surrounded by parents being reunited with their children. Where was her baby? Seeing Summer and Seth pushing toward her, she took in Summer's worried face and Seth's wide eyes.

"Where is Gemma?" Summer asked yelling above the noise.

Marissa looked at her dumbly and looked back at the school. Something snapped inside of her, and she strode toward an office several feet away.

"Not now miss, not now. I'm a little busy and…"

"Where is my daughter?" Marissa yelled at him while crossing her arms around herself for protection. "Where is Gemma Atwood? She is in the accelerated preschool class and…"

The officer looked at the woman in a new light and respectfully changed his tone, "Mrs. Atwood, why don't we go over there and talk."

"No, I don't want to go over there! I want to know where my four year old daughter is!" Marissa shrieked and moved to grab the officer. Summer had managed to make her way over and she grabbed Marissa's hand.

"Coop, maybe we should move over there. Come on." Summer led her friend through the crowd as Marissa kept looking back at the school. Mrs. Peabody, the school principle, stood in a group clustered around the back of the school examining a broken window. Seeing Summer leading Marissa, she broke away from the group and hurried over to the two.

"Oh, oh I'm so sorry Mrs. Atwood." Mrs. Peabody threw her arms around Marissa who just stood there in shock. _What was going on?_ "Two men managed to get into the school with guns and it was complete chaos in the preschool class. After everything, we counted up students and found that one student was missing, Gemma Atwood." Mrs. Peabody gave a sniff and looked up at Marissa with watery eyes. "We have witnesses saying that the two grabbed her right as they were escaping because the police were on the way. We are doing everything we can." She looked up at Marissa again hopefully.

Marissa stared down at the woman who was supposed to protect her child. Her little girl that was only four years old and didn't like to drink milk. Her little girl that could barely tie her shoes. When she spoke, she barely recognized her own voice, "Are you telling me that Gemma was kidnapped from your school and you don't know where she is and didn't protect her?" Her voice rose and became harsher as everything sunk in. Her baby was gone.

Summer moved to put her arms around her friend, but was thrown off. Looking around, she spotted Ryan sprinting across the grass. _Thank goodness_…

"Marissa!" Yelled Ryan as he approached the group, but Marissa kept staring at Mrs. Peabody and the officer. Suddenly she gave a great cry, and spun toward the school striding toward the wrapped up school.

"Wait Mrs. Atwood, you can't go in there! Wait!" The officer gave the command and a lose chain of officers formed blocking her path.

Marissa tried to push her way through the officers. "Move, by daughter is in there somewhere! Move, Gemma!" Marissa screamed into the school as one officer physically restrained her. By then Ryan had caught up, and yanked the officer off of her.

"Don't touch her." He pulled Marissa into her arms as she fought against him.

"Ryan, let me go. Gemma is in there somewhere, Gemma needs me!" She clawed at his arms, but he held tight. Slowing, her moments stopped exhausted, and she collapsed against him. "Ryan," she sobbed, "Gemma is gone…"

"I know, I know," whispered Ryan brokenly as he held his broken wife. Summer was holding on to Seth desperately with one arm around Dylan's small body. She was crying and Seth kept wiping his eyes. "I know baby, but we will find her. I promise you that." He made her look at him in the eyes, and what he saw was emptiness; a mother without her baby. Pulling her close again, he stroked her hair and closed his eyes. _They had to find Gemma._ Looking up, he watched as the officer in charge approached the grieving couple and pulled out a notebook.

"Mr. and Mrs. Atwood, it is important to begin the search as soon as possible. We need a recent picture of Gemma and a physical description. Also, is there anybody that might have any threat against you? We can't rule out that they went specifically for Gemma."

Ryan closed his eyes and felt Marissa become stiff in his arms. This was a parents' worst nightmare and it had begun on an innocent sunny spring day. Now it was dark, murky, and deadly.

To be continued!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

Dusk had settled across the glamorous, beautiful, and the facade of a snow globe. The elite members of Newport went about their everyday lives. Bright parties were held, little children taken care of by nannies, and gossip spewed across the lips of lonely people. _Did you hear about what happened at Harbor Elementary? Did you hear about the two masked men? Did you hear about little Gemma Atwood? They say that Marissa Cooper, pardon me, Marissa Atwood broke down right there and Ryan assaulted a police officer…doesn't sound like they changed much._ The people would smile and voices would drip in supposed sympathy before moving on. They were able to smile and forget about the ugly destruction that destroyed worlds. Some were not able to forget as easily. Some people could still see the haunting smile of a little girl with bright blue eyes. One person remembered hearing his little girl cry the first time and how he thought he might cry. One person remembered cuddling her little granddaughter while reading a bedtime story about happily ever afters. Another person remembered laughing like crazy when her best friend opened the door with a screaming two week year old in her arms and hair that looked like it had not been washed in days. Someone remembered her little girl yelling over her shoulders that she would love her forever and ever. Some could not forget so easily.

Julie Cooper-Nichol rushed up the driveway and attempted to push her way through the police officers that surrounded the door.

"Miss, miss you can't go through there."

"Excuse me," Julie bit out angrily turning to face the burly guard. "I'm Julie Copper-Nichol, perhaps you…"

"She is okay Fred," Sandy Cohen walked out and placed an arm on Julie and guided her past the guard.

"Well, I don't know if I'm okay. I don't know if I have ever been okay, but thanks anyway Sandy." She looked up at him trying to joke but ended up with tears pooling in her eyes. She only had one question. "Where is my daughter?"

Sandy didn't say anything, just pointed in the direction of the kitchen and followed the whirlwind of red that swept past him. The scene in the kitchen was a twisting of the gut feeling. At least four police officers swarmed around the room getting coffee and making notes, while Lieutenant Wylie sat at the table. Across from him sat Ryan and Marissa. Well, Ryan sat while Marissa was hunched over with her head in her arms obscuring her face. Ryan's arm was swung around her shoulders and gently rubbing her left arm. Sandy didn't know if Ryan was supporting Marissa or Marissa supporting Ryan. Everything was too confusing now. Kristen sat on Ryan's other side holding his hand tightly for support.

"Marissa, oh honey…" Julie took one look at her daughter and almost burst into tears at the spot.

Marissa's head slowly picked up from the table and gazed at Julie uncomprehendingly. "Mommy?" Her voice trembled as did her chin as her already bloodshot eyes leaked more tears.

Sandy decided at the moment that he had never seen somebody look more destroyed. He had children; he knew that he couldn't even understand what Ryan and Marissa were going through. Looking over, he watched as Ryan picked his arm up from around Marissa as she fell into her mother's open arms and sobbed. Julie held her tight while whispering soft words into her ears. Running a hand across his face, Ryan leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes breathing deeply and forcefully. Sandy walked over to him and simply placed a hand on his shoulder. Ryan looked up at him with what could be considered thanks.

"Mr. and Mrs. Atwood, I know this is hard but we are doing everything possible to find Gemma. Along with several different forces, we are combing the surrounding areas. Road blocks have been put up, and Gemma's picture is on all the major networks. An Amber Alert was issued two hours ago. All we can do now is wait."

Ryan's chair came down with a thud as Marissa lifted her head from Julie's shoulder. Both stared at Lieutenant Wylie with a mixture of disbelief and amazement. Ryan opened his mouth to say something, but Sandy intervened quickly. "Lieutenant Wylie, may I have a private word?" Leading the officer away from the kitchen, he heard Marissa's voice raise above the hum getting higher and higher mixed with Ryan's deeper tone trying to calm her down. "Is it possible for Ryan and Marissa to go get some rest? They are about to snap and that would not help the situation."

Lieutenant Wylie scratched his head and finally nodded while making a gesture to an officer walking in. Within minutes, Julie and Kristen had whisked Ryan and Marissa upstairs despite their adamant protests.

Ryan went along after watching Marissa sway unsteady on her feet as she walked up the stairs. He would make sure that Marissa got some rest then come back down. He had to do something or he was going to hurt somebody. Suddenly Marissa stumbled on the steps in front of him and almost went down. Automatically he reached out and caught her, placing his arm around her waist and helping her up the stairs. She didn't even look at him. Walking into their bedroom, Ryan made Kristen and Julie leave them for privacy and turned back to his wife. She was standing at the window peering out with her arms wrapped around her for protection.

"Marissa, you should rest. You should…" He looked helplessly at his wife.

"Don't Ryan, just don't okay? I need…I need…" She turned to him with swimming blue eyes and suddenly was wrapped tightly up his arms. Her arms wrapped around him in desperation, and she squeezed Ryan as tightly as possible. She needed to know that he was there. She needed to feel the pain of him squeezing her as tightly as she was him. She needed to no longer be numb.

Ryan gasped as Marissa tightened her arms painfully around him, but all he did was pull her even more into him. There were not any tears, screams, or sounds of fists punching the wall…their pain blended and crisscrossed in violent reds and haunting blacks being absorbed by each other. The earth was crumbling to ruins; a facade of life slipping away each moment little Gemma Atwood was missing.

"And tonight on the eleven o'clock news, Harbor Elementary school was compromised by two men in black masks at eleven o'clock this morning. Students were reunited with their parents six hours later as the lockdown was lifted. However, one student is missing: four year old Gemma Atwood. She has auburn color hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a denim skirt with a green sweater. She has her hair in two braids. If anybody has seen anything, please contact the police immediately." The announcer looked up from his script and peered deeply into the box as if he could see the audience, "The community needs to pull together. Something this horrific…this is a parent's worse nightmare…"

Sandy switched off the TV as a picture of Gemma filled the screen with a wide smile and sparkling blue eyes. He turned to Kristen, but stopped seeing she had finally fallen asleep with Julie sacked out across the room. Standing up and placing a blanket around her shoulders, he crept quickly upstairs. Peering into Ryan and Marissa's room, he was relieved to see both of them huddled on the bed in a tangle of arms and legs. Ryan's arms kept twitching as he shifted in sleep, and Marissa restlessly tossed back and forth. It had taken some doing, but Sandy had finally convinced the two to get at least a couple hours of sleep because going only on fear and adrenalin would only get them so far. Closing the door, he walked back downstairs and tried to catch some sleep if possible.

Ryan woke up with a start covered in sweat. He had been dreaming that Gemma was right in front of him, but he couldn't reach her no matter how hard he tried to. Turning over, he stopped surprised at seeing an empty bed. _Where is she? Did something happen to her? Is she going to disappear like Gemma? _Rushing from the room, he stopped in the dark trying to get his bearings. He could hear the faint sounds of cabinets being opened and closed followed a soft bang as the front door closed. Pulling on his shoes and a coat, he raced out the front door and bewilderedly looked around the yard. A faint beam of light bounced off the trees as a person moved quietly through the woods heading toward the beach. Angry at himself for not grabbing a flashlight, he began trekking through the woods following the faint beam of light stumbling around in the dark as the mist swallowed up everysound. Silence was everywhere. _What is going on? _

To be continued! Thanks for the reviews!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC!

The silence of the mist rolled throughout the secluded cove as waves gently lapped at the grains of sand. The moon has taken cover by hiding behind a cloud as if it wanted to disappear from the world. Trees combined with winding ivy stood out as monster from under the bed and avenging angels locked in battle. It was like a dream. Nothing was real, but everything was an essence of its self. It was like a nightmare.

Ryan Atwood stumbled out of the woods falling on his knees upon contact with sand. Even his soft whoosh was lost somewhere among the silent mists. Everything was disappearing in his life. He glanced around trying to spot the person he had been following for the past hour in a tangle of woven paths through the woods. It didn't help that he had forgotten a flashlight relying on the faint glow through the woods. Puzzled, he realized that nobody else was on the beach. Grimacing, he pushed himself up and took notice for the first time that he was covered in cuts and bruises from the sliding bark and whipping branches. He walked around in a complete circle around the little cove but couldn't find any indication that anybody else had been there. A glint caught his eye as he walked to the edge of the water. It was a necklace made of delicate silver. The charm hanging on the end was an imprint of a tiny foot. He felt like he should recognize the piece, but couldn't come up with the circumstances. Feeling the wind pick up, he took a deep breath and started walking back into the woods. _Was I sleepwalking? Why here? Was there really a person and where was Marissa?_ _He had heard sounds in the kitchen. Whose necklace was it? It looked like a baby's footprint. _He felt his heart drop at the thought of his little daughter. For the first time in a long time, he realized that he was scared.

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Exhausted, Ryan stumbled up his steps waving at the two officers making rounds around his house. _How did I get past them earlier? It wasn't all a dream._ He wasn't at least surprise that the door open easily. It had been an extremely odd night. Sandy, Kristen, and Julie were still sprawled across the living room and eerily the house was much as he left it. Walking upstairs to his room, he hurried into his room hoping desperately that Marissa would be snuggled underneath the covers with Gemma. Opening his eyes, he scanned the still empty bed. Panicking, he walked into the bathroom but that too was empty and silent. Completely frantic and puzzled, he strode across the hallway and opened the door to Gemma's room. For a moment he paused as the essence of Gemma poured out of her room. He could still smell that silly spray Marissa and Summer had given Gemma to wear to school insisting that every girl needed to smell her best. At the same time, a faint smell of play dough and fumes of paint intermingled. Eyes adjusting, Ryan took in the fairy tale room with pink and white lace coupled with fairly lights hanging airily across the walls. His stare stopped on a tangle of golden brown hair spread across his little girl's pillow. Marissa slept hunched in a ball hugging Gemma's bear. He let out a sigh and crossed the room brushing her hair from her face. Leaning down, he kissed her gently on the forehead and took a seat on the rocking chair. Marissa's eyes snapped open from her haphazard sleep taking in Ryan's form across from her. She did not say anything and neither did he. It was silent. They sat there staring into each other's eyes as dawn broke. Neither said anything about what happened, what was to come, or about the bruises and cuts that both bore up and down their arms and cross their faces. It was silent.

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Officer Wylie frowned and ran a hand across his face. He was puzzled and lost. "Are you sure that this is the only video tape from the school?" He looked at his junior officer warily. "There is nothing on here that shows what happened to Gemma. We see the two masked individuals arrive in the preschool class and later leave. However, there is not any evidence that Gemma Atwood was taken by them."

"Sir, I don't know. This is all the school had."

Officer Wylie frowned again and spoke, "Unless this tape is somehow doctored, it appears that Gemma is not with them. However, that is impossible. We have witnesses saying that Gemma disappeared at the same time the two men left. There is no possible explanation about this."

"Sir, do we tell the parents?"

Taking a moment to think, Officer Wylie finally replied, "No, no let's keep this between us for now."

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Summer Cohen slammed the door shut angrily as Dylan hopped out of the car behind her. Grapping his hand tightly, she walked determinedly up to the Atwood's door glaring at the officer daring him to try to stop her.

Dylan felt his Mom grab him even tighter as they reached the door. She had been doing that a lot lately. Last night, she had insisted that he sleep with Dad and her in their nice big bed. He was confused and scare. Two scary men had come to his school and into his classroom. His best friend in the entire world, Gemma, was hiding from him. He didn't understand where she went. One minute they were playing at the water table and the next the two men had entered with guns pointing wildly around the room. Gemma had pushed the two of them to the ground instantly while crawling silently into the cubby room. Dylan had followed too scared to stay behind. For a second in all seemed like a game. Shouts and screams were heard as the two scrambled behind the coats.

"Gemma, what is going on?"

She grabbed his hand and whispered into his ear, "I don't know Dylan, but I'm scared."

"Me too."

The two sat huddled among the coats listening carefully. Suddenly footsteps were heard right outside the door. Dylan squeezed Gemma's hand tightly and whispered into her ear, "Let's pretend we are playing hiding go seek. Hide!" Dylan squeezed his eyes desperately trying to disappear like the heroes his Dad read to him about in comic books. Suddenly a shadow crossed his path, and he opened his eyes.

"Oh, Dylan! Come here honey."

Dylan looked up into the kind face of his teacher and turned to look at Gemma. Only she wasn't there. "Gemma," he called into the shadows and coats, "You can come out know." There was no sign of Gemma. And still today she was still hiding. He was starting to get really angry at her. Mommy was scared and Daddy was out all night looking. Uncle Ryan looked angry and Aunt Marissa kept staring at nothing. People kept saying she was taken by the bad men, and Dylan didn't understand. She was just hiding from him like she did when they played hiding go seek. Only this time she wasn't playing fair. She wasn't answering his calls. It was silent.

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Summer pulled Dylan through the crowd of officers and neighbors looking for her best friend. Kristen appeared out of no where and took Summer and Dylan into her arms.

"How are you doing sweetie? How about you my little man?"

Summer smiled sadly into her mother-in-law's face and whispered, "Where are Marissa and Ryan."

"Everybody is in the kitchen getting ready to leave on the search party. Come on."

Following Kristen into the kitchen, Summer took in the scene with wide eyes. A detail map was on the kitchen table, and Officer Wylie was talking in a low voice to two individuals at the other side. Marissa for a moment picked up her eyes from the map and met Summer's gaze straight on. Summer shrived noticing her friend's empty gaze and dark circles. Ryan sat next to her stoic as a stone. Summer noticed that though they were sitting next to each other, they were not touching.

"Hi Aunt Marissa, Uncle Ryan…" Dylan spoke hesitantly to the room.

Marissa's eyes slowly focused on the little miniature person in the room and felt her heart slam against her ribs. _Dylan._ He looked scared and frightened. Marissa felt her resolve crumble and the pain that she had been trying to avoid came pouring into her blood. A tear dripped down her face and she stared at Dylan. _Thank goodness Dylan was okay._ _Seth and Summer had their little boy back that would play nice with other kids, drink milk, and could tie his shoe laces. Dylan was safe. Gemma's best friend in the whole wide world was safe. _"Oh baby," she whispered and stood up quickly. Dylan looked at her strangely, but Marissa made no notice. She knelt down in front of him and took his face into her hands with tears streaming down her face. "Oh Dylan," she took one glance into his eyes and pulled him into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry Aunt Marissa," he whispered into her shoulder. "I'm so sorry…"

Marissa picked up her head and looked at puzzled, "Why are you sorry honey?"

"It is my entire fault that Gemma is gone." He looked sadly into his Aunt's blue eyes just like Gemma's.

"Dylan honey, what do you mean?" Questioned Summer sharply.

Dylan looked up at his Mom and back to his Aunt that was tightly grabbing his arm. He noticed that everything had gone silent in the once noisy kitchen and everybody was staring at him. He wished he could disappear. "I...I told her to hide. We were hiding in the closet and heard footsteps. We thought it was the bad men." He looked scared at his Mom and then back to his Aunt. "I told Gemma to hide like we were playing hiding go seek. It was not any bad men, but the teacher. I told Gemma to come out, but she didn't. She kept hiding and now she can't come out because I told her to hide!" This was all said in a passionate burst of energy and little fists squeezing at his side. "She is still hiding!"

to be continued! Thanks for the reviews!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC!

The magical pink bubble hung suspended above all the chaos and destruction downstairs. If there was one word to describe it, it would be peace. The wind gently blew the wispy lace curtains and the fairly lights twinkled mysteriously as if they held a secret. A faint memory of scent permutated the room clinging on dress up gowns and feather boas. A person sat hunched in her daughter's bed with the covers wrapped around her like a cocoon. A place where everything was innocent and pure mixed with comfort and love; like two arms wrapped in a warm embrace around a young exuberant child.

Marissa gently thumbed through the picture book smiling slightly or even laughing at some of the still lives. The images blurred together forming the history of a boy and girl that fell in love despite the consequences. The history of a little girl that was born soon after that left the boy and girl hanging onto her every breath, counting little toes, and cooing nonsense when she refused to sleep. Most of the pictures held smiles that boarded upon ridiculously happy or miraculously amazed. The little girl grew up to be a big girl of four. Dark auburn hair swirled around a pixie face shadowed by big blue eyes. It was a little girl that adored her father and wanted to be just like her mother. A little girl that struggled to tie her shoes and refused to drink her milk unless it was in a coffee cup like everybody else. A little girl whose best friend was her parents' best friends creating a full circle. A little girl that was missing.

_"Mommy, I love you forever and ever." _Her last words.

_"Daddy, why can't I take the hammer to school? I promise to use it only at the most opportune moment?"_

_"Ryan, why does our daughter insist on wearing that ridiculous white beater you gave her?"_

_"Mommy, I want to be a doctor, a teacher, an astronaut, a magician, the president, a princess, oh… and a pirate." _

_"Daddy, don't I look pretty?"_

_"Marissa, your daughter just ran outside without any clothes on insisting that she was wearing her birthday suit for her special day."_

_"Uncle Seth, don't you wish you had a little girl? Mommy and Daddy say that little girls are gifts from heaven."_

_"Mommy, go tell Daddy that there are monsters under my bed! Hurry, before they eat us!" _

_"I'm sorry Daddy, I didn't mean to spill all over your paper. I promise cross my heart hope to die to never do it again. Forgive?" _

_"Mommy, please…one more story. Just one! The one about how you and Daddy met and fell in love. Please…it's my favorite."_

_"Don't worry Dylan, I'll teach them a lesson. Daddy taught me how to make a fist and never put your thumb inside your fingers. Mommy doesn't know though…"_

_"Mommy, why don't I have a baby sister or brother? I want one." _

Nausea flew up her body causing Marissa to stumble out of the covers and through the hall to the bathroom. Slamming the door shut behind her, she leaned over the toilet and heaved up all the contents of her stomach. Suddenly, her hair was brushed away from her face and held back. Finishing, she looked up into the eyes of the one Seth Cohen who stared back at her without blinking.

"Sorry about that," she mumbled while reaching around him for her toothbrush.

"Not a problem," Seth watched as she brushed her teeth while avoiding his gaze by staring out the window.

"Is there any new news?"

"No." That was all he had to say and had nothing else to say. Nothing else mattered.

Tears sprang up into her eyes and she hurriedly brushed them from her face trying to not let Seth see them.

"Hey, hey," Seth gently pulled her into his arms and let her cry all her sorrow, pain, guilt, anguish out. "You know," he said as he released her and made his way to the door. "I've heard that crackers work well to curb the nausea. But you probably knew that." Smiling gently into her astonished face, Seth opened the door and clicked it behind him.

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The house was quiet for the first time in days. It had been exactly sixty seven hours since Gemma went missing. Lieutenant Wylie had advised both Ryan and Marissa to stay home in case something happened and they had to be reached. After ten minutes of screaming at Wylie that she could not just sit in the house while her baby was scared, hungry, and might be hurt, Marissa fled the kitchen to somewhere in the house. Ryan had felt sick to his stomach watching his wife come undone. He felt like screaming too. Both of them wanted to be out looking for their missing daughter. It has been sixty seven hours that Ryan felt like his life was on a downward spiral. Rubbing his eyes in exhaustion, he walked into the garage and stopped in surprise. "What are you doing?"

Marissa stumbled backwards in surprise and almost fell on top of the car. "Ryan!" She shrieked while trying to regain her balance. Recovering, she turned her back on him and continued rooting through a box.

"Marissa, what are you doing?" He questioned lightly while trying to keep his voice from becoming demanding. She had been purposely avoiding him all afternoon. He had no idea why besides the fact that he was too exhausted to fight with her.

"Nothing, just looking for something. Oh! Found it!" She triumphantly held up an object before Ryan could see what it was and dropped it in a bag next to her. Shoving the box haphazardly back into the pile, she slowly picked her way through the mess in the garage.

Ryan stood watching his wife carefully. Although her actions were by no means strange, they were slightly out of the character for her. Besides avoiding him, she looked a little pale which was understandable with the circumstances but something was just off. "Are you feeling alright?"

'Umm, oh what? Yes, Ryan I feel just fine. In the past two days, my daughter has been taken, the police have no clues and won't listen to me, and you ask me if I am fine?" She swept by him with a scalding look and stomped through the house.

Ryan closed his eyes and looked toward the ceiling as if for guidance. Sometimes, his wife was just a huge puzzlement for him at times like this. Frowning, he made to follow her but stopped when he heard the front door open and slam. He broke out in a sweat while rushing into the house. Marissa was no where to be found. Dashing to the front door, he stood in the open archway watching a figure stride down the streets with her long hair blowing in the wind like a halo and bag bumping behind her. She reminded him of a rebel angel going off to battle. He was scared for her. Looking up toward the darkening sky becoming shrouded by storm clouds, he yelled her name. For a second, her stride hesitated and she cast one long look over her shoulder. That was all he needed. He was out the door running toward her when the rain came with resounding whoosh making everything blurry to the human eye.

To be Continued! Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

A/N: I think there was some confusion about my last chapter. Hopefully, this one explains it all. I didn't forget anything I wrote earlier it is just that everything has a place in the story and I wasn't ready to explain everything. Enjoy!

Rain never falls in a pattern. Instead, rain falls in a chaotic rolling shape leaving nothing and everything drenched in liquid. It has the ability to make everything vanish from the human eye. Only can things be visible when they are right in front of a person's eyes. Besides that, it is like a silent world of glimmering strands spiraling down from the heavens creating a prism of mirrors.

Ryan Atwood was caught in his own little prism of a world. The sky was ominous with heaving ebony clouds and streaks of light reflecting his own image back at him through the rain. Marissa had vanished.

Marissa Atwood was soldiering on through prism to prism with one purpose…one intent. Her stride never faltered while her reflection never shimmered back to her through the rain. She was slipping through the rain. She was vanishing. Her life was rapidly falling out of control. Gemma was still gone and missing. Little Dylan's words reflected across her mind…"She's hiding. I told her to hide and she still is!" Marissa had tried to convince the police to hear what Dylan had to say but they refused.

_"Mrs. Atwood, I'm sorry. I know how hard this is for you, but we searched the entire school twice already. You're daughter is not there."_

_"Let me go look, please," she begged. "Let me try to find her."_

_"I'm sorry, but it is still a crime scene."_

_Her emotions were swirling in colors blending together to form rage. "You have no idea where my four year old daughter is and you will not let me look in the one place she might be. How on earth…"_

_"Marissa," Ryan interrupted her screaming match. "Come on, baby. The police are trying there best."_

_Marissa turned around and gaped at her husband. When he wouldn't quite meet her eyes, she had run up stairs. She avoided him all afternoon. _

Striding toward the one destination that might hold the key to this whole nightmarish ordeal, Marissa stumbled as she sank into an inky black pool of water. Falling, she almost welcomed the relief of the cold water hoping it would vanish all of her fiery pain but a hand grabbed her elbow and hoisted her out of danger.

"I got you. Here walk this way."

She silently followed the command as the two struggled against the storm. The stranger kept an arm around her shoulder as the journey continued. Marissa found herself wondering how strange that the storm mirrored emotions. The clouds vanishing the sun with its light. The wind blowing ordinary objects into nightmarish tools. Lightning streaking across the sky like a sense of hope. Rain was vanishing all from the human eye. Secrets were bred in storms.

"_Mommy, can we get a puppy please? I promise to take good care of it and be repronsible."_

_"Responsible, Gemma. I don't think this is the right time to get a puppy, honey. I'm sorry." _

_"But Mommy, I promise…"_

_"No Gemma, I'm sorry but the answer is no. _

_"Well how about a baby then? I'm not sure where you can buy them but there must be a place. A baby might even be better then a dog now that I think about it. Well, what do you say Mommy?"_

"Ryan?" She turned to the stranger that was leading her through the darkness. Just like he always did.

"Hmm," he didn't look at her, but kept walking.

"Do you think we will ever find her?" She had never dared asked that question before. Her heart tightened painfully.

His steps slowed their movements. Finally looking at her, he spoke loudly over the wind, "Someday we will find her. She is in every smile I see on your face. She is every laugher heard from the playground. She is every memory of chocolate chip pancakes and morning comics."

Marissa flung her arms around her husband and sobbed into his shoulders as he cried into her already soaking wet hair. Their tears mingled with the rain vanishing so that the outside world would never know. "I'm pregnant, Ryan."

"What did you say? I can't hear you." Ryan yelled as the wind picked up and the rain continued its drenching path.

"I'm pregnant!" She screamed with all her pent up emotions while staring into his face. His eyes were almost visible amid the darkness and water. Almost.

"I know."

"What?" Marissa grabbed his arm pulled him to stop his movement. "

"I said I know." He reached down and cupped her cheek in his moist hand. "I know."

"Oh…what…how?" She was utterly confused, but he didn't seem fazed by it.

"I saw the shirt. It only has one purpose. You pulled it out last week."

Marissa had completely forgotten about the shirt.

_Ryan jogged up the stairs while glancing at his watch. Marissa and him had been married for about six months now and were still in wedded bliss. However, they were supposed to be at Sandy and Kristen's ten minutes ago, and Marissa was no where in sight. Opening the bedroom door he started, "Marissa…" but stopped at the sight that greeted his eyes. The bed was heaped with sparkly dresses and distinguished suits. Skirts had been abandoned on the floor while a blouse clung to the overhead fan. Clothing was flying out of the closet rapidly. Peering into the tiny room, he found his wife on her knees digging through piles of clothes. "Marissa, what are you doing? Are you ready to go?" His wife turned to face him and Ryan stared at her in her dressing gown and hair in a tangle of curls. Mascara dripped down her face as tears blended the black to gray. _

_"Ryan," she choked out before turning back to digging through last summer's pants. _

_Puzzled, Ryan sat down next to his wife and watched her continue the almost desperate search. "Baby, what is the matter?"_

_Marissa continued digging through clothing and her words were muffled against the fabrics. _

_"What?"_

_She turned to him and stood up stalking out of the closet. _

_He followed closely and watched her start to rummage through the clothes on the bed. "Marissa," he was starting to get worried and a little confused. "We were supposed to be at the Cohen's twenty minutes ago." _

_Wrong thing to say, she turned to him and glared while glancing in the mirror. She let out a whimper and stared at her reflection. "This is what the matter is," she shrieked yanking on her robe. Underneath protruded a swollen belly of about four months. "Nothing fits! Nothing, I'm fat Ryan!" She turned to him bursting into tears and stamped her foot like a child._

_Ryan wanted to laugh. He really did. Instead, he took a deep breath and tried to hold the smile in. It didn't work._

_"Don't you dare laugh at me Ryan Atwood!"_

_"I'm sorry baby, but you are pregnant not fat. I think this is supposed to happen." He smiled at her face and walked over to her. Placing his hands on her stomach, he stared into her eyes. "I think you are beautiful. We are going to be parents Marissa…imagine that…" He looked softly into her eyes and moved his arms up over her waist pulling her closer. _

_"I'm sorry…I'm being silly. Damn hormones!" She looked up at him and a smile wobbled out of her face. _

_"Oh baby, everything is going to be fine. You can ask your Mom or Summer to go shopping for maternity clothes tomorrow. Even Kristen would love to go."_

_"I guess we are really late now."_

_He looked at her and in that moment didn't want to be anywhere else. Walking over to the dresser, he pulled out one of his t-shirts and handled it to her. _

_"What is this?" She looked at his shirt and back at him._

_"You said nothing fits. How about you put that on and I might be inclined to go get some of the ice cream you have been demanding and we spend the night here watching movies?"_

_"Really?" She looked up at happily and placed a lingering kiss on his lips. Pulling the shirt over her head, it fit perfectly. "Now about that ice cream…"_

Marissa had completely forgotten about the shirt. She wore it every night to bed when she was pregnant. After Gemma was born, she put it away to use some other day. The other night it was natural to pull it out and sleep with it on. Trying to see Ryan's face in the rain, she could tell he was smiling. It was more of a sense. Reaching over, she found his hand reaching half way. Gripping tightly, they continued their journey. Nothing had to be said. Marissa pulled in a breath as she suddenly became tangled in a muddy soiled yellow tape clinging to the wet tree. They had finally arrived. The outline of the school rose amid the mist and rain like an item from a nightmare.

_To be continued! Thanks for reading!_


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, it really surprised me!

Although things were vanishing and disappearing throughout the rain and mist, the school building arose from the fog like an apparition. The single story building sprawled over the grass with tall towering pine trees surrounding in a protective circle. The swings swirled in the storm voices of children laughing, talking, and crying echoed. The windows were dark without a light shining through. A once happy place…now surrounded by ugly yellow tape stretched across the building like a too small of a Christmas present. The message was clear…do not enter…bad things happened here…

Ryan glanced at Marissa as they stopped short on the walkway leading up to the school. Suddenly, he felt drained of energy and emotion. His bones seemed to ache physically and his already bruised heart thumped slowly. He was beyond exhausted. The past hours were finally setting in.

Marissa sensed rather then felt Ryan's shoulders slump. She understood. Her arms felt weak like a baby bird's while her legs trembled knocking her knees together. They came together as one slumped against each other's arms and tangling arms into an embrace. As Marissa laid her cheek against Ryan's wet shirt, she felt his heart beat rhythmically and constantly and solidly. She was suddenly filled with an emotion she had not felt in days. Everything was going to be okay. Lifting her head, she gave a half smile and untangled herself from him starting to walk toward the school. However, once she reached the entrance blocked by the ugly yellow tape her courage failed. A hand reached out and with one firm yank tore the tape from the door. Glancing up at Ryan, she whispered, "My hero…"

He must have heard because a slight smile graced his face as he tried to open the door to the school. After trying fruitless amounts of time to open the lock door, Ryan was about to lose it. Turning to Marissa who stood there staring at him with a question in her eyes, he swirled quickly and smashed his fist against the glass window beside the door. The glass shattered vanishing the once solid object glittering in the rain. Ryan felt a shudder of something being released by the once closed building. The halls were silent with darkness lurking behind every corner. He turned and was surprised to see Marissa no longer next to him. Panicking, he glanced out in to the pouring rain and back to the tomb like building. He could just make out her shadow as she disappeared around the corner. She was heading to Gemma's classroom. A mother's intuition leading her like a radar.

_Ryan closed his eyes in complete exhaustion. Having a three month old daughter was nothing like he thought it would be. He didn't expect to only get about four hours a sleep a night or spend half the time making up new bottles. The bed creaked as Marissa turned in her sleep and curled up next to him. Wrapping his arms around her, he let his mind drift shut. Gemma had just had her 3 am feeding, and it would be Marissa's turn next at 5. He felt him self start to drift too tired to think of anything else. He was dreaming that they were on the beach. The sky was bright turquoise with the ocean stretching out like a never ending mirror. Marissa with her hair blowing in the wind was scoping up sand and showing a little figure how to dump it upside down. He stared completely amazed at the little girl as she looked up with big blue eyes and waved._

_"Hi Daddy!" She squeaked as Marissa bent down to tickle her tummy. _

_"Ryan, come join us. Put the camera away silly," Marissa laughed as Gemma tackled Ryan around the legs making him fall back into the sand…He was amazed that this was his life now. As Gemma ran out to the water, Marissa walked over and sat down on top of him laughing. He snaked his hands around her waist and…_

_"Ryan!" _

_He jerked awake and groaned as a head connected with his chin. Blearily, he looked at his wife that sat next to him trying to throw the covers off. _

_"Ryan, something is wrong with Gemma!" She yanked the last sheet aside and stumbled out of bed. _

_"Marissa, I just fed her…" checking the clock he groaned…"twenty minutes ago. She is fine. I don't hear anything." He signed watching her run out of the room to the nursery next door. Grumbling about his wife's actions and waking him up, he stumbled into the room and watched as Marissa bent over their little girl. "See, she is sleeping just fine."_

_Ignoring him, Marissa bent down and pushed the light curls from her daughter's face, "Oh, my baby girl…Ryan she is burning up. Go get the thermometer. Hurry, Ryan for goodness sake!" Panicking, she picked Gemma up from the crib and held her close. "Why are you not moving!"_

_Getting slightly worried, Ryan hurried to the bathroom and walked back handing her the instrument. Sticking it under her tiny arm, he watched with bated breath as Marissa rocked the little girl. The instrument beeped and Ryan could just make out the glowing numbers…101.3…_

"Marissa, wait!" He yelled worried about losing sight of his wife again. His yell echoed throughout the long chamber. She stopped and waited for him to catch up.

"Dylan said that they went into the coat closed and when he turned around Gemma was gone. I think we should start there…" she trailed off uncertainly.

"Sounds like an idea to me." He pulled a flashlight from the bag tangled around Marissa and led the way through the disheveled classroom. A couple of desks were overturned and blue paint splattered across the floor in waves of chaos. The once happy classroom was a faint remembrance of its self.

_"I don't know Marissa; don't you think Gemma is a little too young to enroll here?" Ryan glanced around the bright classroom squished in a little person's chair with his knees bouncing against the tiny table. "I mean she is only four and could go to school next year like everybody else her age."_

_"I don't know. I wish I could keep her home with me for another year, but her preschool teacher said that Gemma was far advance for age. Called her quite precocious, but then we already knew that," She ruefully laughed as Ryan smiled. Gemma was quite the character when she wanted to be. "I just want what is best for her. I want to give her everything and if this helps her well I say at least we should try."_

_Knowing she was right, Ryan leaned over and pressed a kiss on her cheek while peering around the room settling on a head of bright auburn hair. _

_"Mommy, Daddy! Guess what? I feed the turtles and watered the plants and draw a picture and…" her rambunctious rambling brought smiles to both her parents' faces. This was the right thing. "And played in the kitchen making a hamburgerer for you Daddy."_

_"Hamburger, sweetie…" _

Ryan couldn't help but think if they had kept her home for another year without sending her through the advance program things might be different. He could be at home eating with his two favorite people in the world and trying to convince Gemma to side with him against her beloved Mommy. Things would be very different. He continued walking through the room with Marissa trailing behind him in the dark. They finally reached the tiny room at the back of the classroom. He stopped suddenly with Marissa colliding against him. He did not know if he could go in there.

"Ryan, honey?" Marissa sided up next to him and looked up in the dark trying to see his eyes. "Come on baby, let's find our little girl." She gently took his hand and turned the knob as the door squeaked loudly in the quiet room. The storm outside was escalating matching their emotions and heartbeats. A streak of lightning lit up the tiny room showing a multicollection of Barbie backpacks mixed in with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and various Disney Characters. Marissa reached out and gently unhooked a Snoopy bag from a hook staring at it with tears starting to swim in her eyes. Gemma was not here. She was not in the classroom or in the tiny room. A part of Marissa had always known that, but she wanted desperately for Dylan to be right. She wanted her baby girl again. "Ryan…" she managed to choke out and buried herself into his body trying to crawl inside desperate to leave the world at this moment.

Ryan felt something inside of him deflate as he clung just as hard to Marissa. Wetness smeared down his cheeks falling softly on Marissa's head. Gemma was not here. His little girl that would rather play with Lincoln Logs then barbies. The one who leaped into bed with her parents when she was scared telling them not to be afraid of the big bad storm. A terrible crash was heard outside as the storm whipped in intensity quickly getting out of hand. The flashlight flickered once and then gave out. Marissa whimpered next to him and blindly reached out smacking him in the face. A roar was heard and suddenly the lights overhead started to swing. "Marissa, I think we should…" but he never got to finish the sentence as the desks started to shake the bookcases falling over like mummies long forgotten. The earth was stretching, the earth was cracking, the earth was trembling. Ryan threw himself at Marissa knocking them both to the ground as the wall next to them came thundering down vanishing everything in a cloud of dust…

To be continued! Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

Deep within the crust of the earth, molten liquid spiraled up toward the surface desperate to break free and breathe some breath of air. As the liquid shifted under the hard plates, the earth started to stretch…the earth started to shift…the earth started to crumble. People were caught completely unprepared. Most individuals were at home hiding from the storm that raged around them mirroring the rage and anguish in their very own lives. Others that were stumbling though the woods in thinning fog looking for a little girl clung to the trees as the earth trembled at their feet. A little boy sat up in his bed shrieking as he clung to his plastic horse amidst the shaking earth. A mother struggled up the stairs clinging to each step as a life line with the only thought of getting to her little boy.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Dylan screamed as his bed rocked much like the boat his Daddy named after his Mommy.

"Dylan, oh baby…" Summer stumbled down the hallway banging into a door hard and falling. She crawled into her little boy's room and dragged him off the bed. The two clung together huddled underneath the doorframe. Dylan's eyes were squeezed shut tightly gripping Summer's hair between his pudgy fingers. Summer tried to close her eyes but found she couldn't. She kept staring at her little boy with the big chocolate eyes that now were tightly closed. Gathering him even possibly closer, she started to sing above the chaos. Windows were breaking as books thudded to the carpeted floor no longer muffled. "Sing with me baby; keep singing with me baby…"

Dylan managed to open his eyes and found himself staring into his Mom's eyes just like his. His tiny voice joined hers in a whisper as the world fell apart around them. Suddenly, just as it had started there was silence. The earth gave one great groan and rolled over ending its fit for now of living beneath the hard surface of the world. He didn't breathe and neither did his Mommy. They sat there holding their breaths.

"Summer! Dylan!" Seth yelled frantically into the destroyed house.

"Seth? Oh my gosh, SETH!" Screamed Summer as Dylan started to finally cry.

"Where are you guys…wait don't move!"

"We are upstairs outside Dylan's room…or least what is left," muttered Summer as an afterthought. Everything on the walls had tumbled down and story books were laid across the room creating beige waves.

"Mommy?" Dylan piped up from her lap.

"Yes honey? Mommy is so proud of you for being so calm." Summer placed a kiss on his furrowed brow and thanked God again for giving him to her.

"Do you think Gemma will come out now because of the shaking earth? She probably is very scared"

Summer looked into her son's troubled chocolate eyes and could only stare. She had no idea what to say.

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"Here we go ladies, two flashlights, a bag of Doritos, some candles, a blanket, and…of course bagels!" Sandy flourished his findings to the smile of his wife and the look of concern from Julie.

"Sandy, how soon do you think the power will be back? I'm worried about Ryan and Marissa…" she trailed off staring into space as thought after thought spun in her head.

"Julie," Kristen said kindly covering her hand, "I'm sure the two are safe and fine at home."

Julie looked at her hesitantly and then spoke, "I have this feeling. Something is wrong…I can just feel it. Call it a mother's intuition or something but something is wrong with my daughter."

Sandy looked at Kristen and signed. "Truth be told Julie, I wouldn't mind going to check on the two myself. How about we go over there and check it out." He smiled as Julie's face broke out in relief. He led the way through the tangle of sofas overturned and vases smashed into Picasso art. Driving through the wreaked streets of Newport, he hoped that everything was okay. That thought soon left him as the three arrived at the house and nobody answered from within its shadowy depths.

"No Dad, I have not heard from Ryan or Marissa. I don't know Dad…Dad, Dad stop! You are speaking way too fast. Almost sounded like me for a second, wait Seth you have to stay focus… but anyway I have not heard from either of them. Let me ask Summer." Seth turned to Summer who was trying to straighten up the kitchen. "Have you heard from Ryan or Marissa?"

"No, why? Is something wrong?" Summer looked up in alarm. She had thought they were at home waiting for word from the police. They all would have been there too, but decided to give the two some space.

"No Dad," Seth spoke carefully with concern coloring his words, "she has not heard from them either. You said they were not at home?" Seth listened to his Dad and tried to ignore Dylan that was yanking on his pants. "I'm not sure…Dylan please stop," Seth signed exasperatedly as Dylan started jumping up and down to get his attention. "What is it?"

"Maybe Aunt Marissa and Uncle Ryan went to find Gemma? Do you want to play hide-a-go-seek Daddy?"

Seth turned and stared right back into Summer's eyes that had widen with Dylan's words. "Dad, I think I know where they are."

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The building that had housed so many happy memories, sparks of fire as connections were made, children growing, playful laughter…the building laid in ruins. The structure was destroyed. The front door stood untouched while the walls around it paid homage by bending over backwards. Classroom intermingled with each other as the multigrade school became one singular grade. The accelerated preschool room which used to be bright sunny yellow with turquoise chairs scattered around like clouds laid in ruins. The windows had shattered blowing inward with glass sticking to the dark dirty carpet. One of the walls had collapsed completely blocking entry to the room. And in the little closet that once housed a Snoopy backpack had collapsed on its self. One of the walls had completely slid down till it touched the other creating a little triangular space beneath the rumble. A very teeny tiny space. However, at the end of the closet and wooden beam had crashed into the wall leaving a gaping hole that revealed a small tunnel leading into the dark unknown.

Coming to, Marissa Atwood tried to push up from her stomach but was blocked by something applying pressure to her back. Blinking her eyes trying to keep them open, she tried to wiggle around the tiny little space. _I can't feel by legs…where is Ryan? Oh, my gosh Ryan! Why can't I move…my head is throbbing_…? Marissa tried to turn over but was again blocked by something on her back. Whimpering slightly, Marissa laid back down on her stomach feeling sick. Her vision was going blurry, but it didn't matter. She couldn't see anything anyway. The tiny closet had become like a dungeon around its occupants keeping them trapped as prisoners. Gasping for air, Marissa closed to eyes tightly trying to block everything out…just to give up…

_"Mommy?"_

_"Yes kiddo?" Marissa brushed her daughter's hair from her tiny face as they lay perched in Gemma's fluffy bed. _

_"Where's Daddy?" Gemma peered up at her mother in the dark enclosed tightly in her arms. She had had a scary dream that a monster came and had taken away her Mommy and Daddy leaving her all by herself. She was scared._

_"Remember honey, he is on a work trip for Grandma? He will be home bright and early to make pancakes for you!" Marissa bent down and placed a kiss on her daughter's pudgy little cheek. _

_"Mommy, I'm…I'm scared…" Gemma trembled as she stared out into the dark room trying to detect the big bad monster from her dream. "What if the monster comes back?" She buried her head into her Mom's shoulder. _

_"There are not any monsters in here Gemma," Marissa said patiently while her little girl sat up looking at her._

_"But Mommy, I saw them! There are some good monsters and some bad monsters and some horrible terrible monsters! Some are green with bright red spots and other ones have two heads with long fangs!" With that said, Gemma peered again in the dark trying to look brave now that her Mommy was here. _

_"Well, Daddy and Mommy will always protect you from the monsters sweetie, I promise." Marissa knew it was better to go along with her imaginative child rather then argue about monsters. _

_"You promise?" _

_"I promise." _

_"I love you Mommy…"_

_I promise, I promise_, the words rang in Marissa's head as she wearily opened her eyes. She had to get to her little girl. She promised to protect her from the monsters, and she had not done that at all. Gathering her strength, Marissa ignored her blurry vision and throbbing head and turned over on her back without trying to move too much. Reaching up with her hands, she blindly put them out into the dark finally colliding with a wooden shaft that was trapping her underneath the ruble.

"Ump…"

Marissa stopped her movements and listened to the silence. A second later she heard it again, a moan followed by a groan. "Ryan?" She held her breath waiting. Suddenly, something overhead rumbled and debris rained down covering everything in white dust.

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A fine mist sprinkled down through the coming dawn. The heavy rains had vanished only to be replaced by an eerie calm slipping through the cracks of sidewalks and motionless pine branches. Summer Cohen gave a gasp and turned to her husband with eyes full of fear and frustration…but mostly hopelessness. The school lay in ruins right before her eyes. It looked like a three year old's work of destroying blocks with a swipe of his hand.

Seth, for once, was silent. He stared at the once solid structured that was sprawled across the grass. He took Summer's hand and continued to walk toward the remaining structure. Not paying attention, he almost fell as Summer stopped abruptly and reached down to pick something up from the sodden ground. It was a fragile bracelet made out of silver gently cradling a small footprint at the center. Seth watched questioningly as she gently ran her fingers through it and finally looked up at him with tears pooling at the ends of her eyes.

"It's Marissa's. She has had this since she was a baby. It was given to Julie from her Mom. Marissa planned on giving it to Gemma someday. They are here somewhere…"

To be continued! Thanks for reading---sorry it has taken so long to update!


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